The Sawtooth Fire is responsible for the heavy pall of smoke hanging over the Missoula valley.

Air quality specialist with the Missoula City County Health Department Sara Kofield says the fire, that has caused evacuations this week, has sent plumes of smoke into the Missoula valley. She says there is little in the way of weather in the next few days to eliminate the smoke, so conditions will probably get worse before they get any better.

Kofield says air quality as of late Thursday afternoon was listed as unhealthy, and that air quality in Hamilton was listed as very unhealthy.

Air quality specialist Sara Kofield

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